Laura Dougan, Toronto

About Laura

Laura's litigation practice includes complex commercial litigation, class action defence, environmental, constitutional and other public and administrative law cases.

As a member of the Firm's Public Sector Crisis & Compliance group, Laura helps clients navigate high-stakes legal issues. She regularly litigates cases related to media and defamation, privacy, and access to information, and advises clients involved in government and internal investigations and public inquiries. Laura also advises on lobbying matters, gifting rules, conflict of interest regimes and election finance rules.

On the environmental side, Laura has experience representing clients in environmental disputes and prosecutions, and municipal law matters and disputes.

Laura also has significant experience defending companies in consumer protection class actions, including in industries such as automobile, food and beverage, consumer products, professional services, financial services, and insurance.

Prior to joining Blakes, Laura clerked at the Federal Court of Appeal.

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Select Experience

Laura’s recent experience includes:

Counsel to a U.S. fruit and vegetable processing company in an action seeking several million dollars in relation to a food product recall
Represented major financial institution in an insurance class action
Counsel to a North American vehicle manufacturer in class actions alleging negligent design, testing and manufacture, and breaches of consumer protection laws
Counsel to a leading consumer goods manufacturer in a class action alleging negligent design, testing and manufacture
Counsel in international arbitration arising from patent licence agreement (ICDR)
Represented the coalition of major Canadian media in an application to unseal search warrant material in the police investigations that led to charges against Bruce McArthur
Counsel to several news outlets in cases alleging libel and slander
Counsel in a matter invoking treaty limitations of liability arising from shipping accident and loss of cargo

Professional Activities

Laura is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Ontario Bar Association, Ad Idem (Advocates in Defence of Free Expression)/Canadian Media Lawyers Association and The Advocates' Society.

Laura provides pro bono legal advice to a variety of public interest and corporate clients.

Laura has assisted with the Equality Effect's Malawi project that aims to further the rights of women and girls who are denied access to justice because of the rule requiring corroboration for sexual assault.

Laura has also worked with the International Senior Lawyers Project to provide legal information about international hate speech laws to an organization in Burma.